Quick answer: A credit freeze is free by federal law and takes about 5 minutes per bureau. You must place it separately at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Online or phone requests take effect within one hour; mail requests within three business days.
Key Takeaways
- A credit freeze is free by federal law at all three bureaus
- You must place it separately at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
- It does not affect your credit score or existing accounts
- Lift it temporarily online in about an hour when you apply for credit
What a credit freeze actually does
A freeze (also called a security freeze) blocks lenders from pulling your credit report, which stops most new accounts from being opened in your name. It does not affect your credit score, existing accounts, or your ability to use current cards. Since September 2018, freezing and unfreezing has been free nationwide under the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.
Step 1: Freeze at Equifax
Go to equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services and create a myEquifax account, or call 888-298-0045. You will verify your identity with your Social Security number, date of birth, and address. Once confirmed, the freeze is active immediately.
Step 2: Freeze at Experian
Visit experian.com/freeze or call 888-397-3742. Experian lets you manage the freeze from a free account dashboard, so keep the login details somewhere safe.
Step 3: Freeze at TransUnion
Visit transunion.com/credit-freeze or call 800-916-8800. TransUnion also offers a free online account where you can toggle the freeze on and off.
How to lift (thaw) a freeze when you apply for credit
Log in to the same bureau account and choose a temporary lift for a set number of days, or a permanent removal. Online lifts take effect within an hour. If you know which bureau a lender uses, you only need to lift that one. When in doubt, ask the lender before applying.
Freeze vs. fraud alert vs. credit lock
| Credit freeze | Fraud alert | Credit lock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free | Often paid (bureau product) |
| Legal protection | Federal law | Federal law | Contract with bureau |
| Blocks new credit | Yes | No (lenders must verify identity) | Yes |
| Set at each bureau? | Yes, all three | One bureau notifies the others | Yes |
For most people the free freeze is the stronger choice; a lock is a convenience product with similar effect.
FAQ
Does a credit freeze hurt my credit score? No. Freezes are not visible to lenders as a negative factor and do not change your score.
Can I still use my existing credit cards? Yes. A freeze only blocks new credit inquiries; existing accounts work normally.
Should I freeze my child’s credit? Yes, if you can. All three bureaus allow parents to place a free freeze for minors, which prevents child identity theft.
What actually happens when a lender hits a frozen file
People often picture a freeze as a wall that blocks everything. It is closer to a locked door with a doorbell. When a lender pulls your report, the bureau returns a message saying the file is frozen rather than returning your credit history. Most automated underwriting systems treat that as an incomplete application and stop. Some lenders will call you and ask you to lift the freeze; others simply decline. Neither outcome hurts your score, and a decline caused by a freeze is not recorded as a credit denial in the way a decline for poor credit would be.
This matters because the freeze does its work at exactly the moment it needs to. Identity thieves apply for credit at volume and move on quickly when an application stalls. They rarely have the ability to lift a freeze, because doing so requires the account credentials or the identity verification answers you set up.
What the freeze does not cover, and what to do about it
A freeze protects the front door but leaves several side entrances open. Existing creditors can still review your file, so a card issuer can raise or cut your limit without asking. Employers, landlords, and insurers may still access reports under permitted-purpose rules. Debt collectors and companies you already do business with retain access. Most importantly, a freeze does nothing about account takeover: if someone has your existing card number, the freeze is irrelevant to that fraud.
Three habits close most of those gaps. Turn on transaction alerts with every card issuer so charges appear on your phone in real time. Opt out of prescreened credit offers at OptOutPrescreen.com, which reduces the mail a thief can intercept. And review all three credit reports periodically at AnnualCreditReport.com, which is free weekly.
Freezing a child’s credit, and why it is worth the paperwork
Children are attractive targets precisely because nobody looks. A stolen Social Security number belonging to a seven-year-old can be used for a decade before anyone notices, usually when the child applies for a first student loan or job. All three bureaus allow a parent or guardian to create and then freeze a credit file for a minor under 16.
The process is more manual than an adult freeze. Each bureau requires proof of your identity and proof of your relationship to the child, typically a copy of your government ID, the child’s birth certificate, and the child’s Social Security card. Equifax and TransUnion accept these by mail; Experian has a dedicated minor freeze form. Once placed, the freeze remains until the child turns 16 or 18 depending on the bureau, at which point they can manage it themselves.
Freeze, fraud alert, or credit lock: choosing without overthinking
These three products overlap enough to cause paralysis, so here is the practical version. A freeze is free by federal law, blocks new credit outright, lasts until you remove it, and must be placed separately at each bureau. A fraud alert is also free, lasts one year (seven with an identity theft report), and only requires lenders to take extra steps to verify identity rather than blocking anything; you place it at one bureau and it notifies the others. A credit lock is a bureau product that achieves a similar result to a freeze with a faster toggle, but it is governed by a contract rather than by statute, and some versions are bundled into paid monitoring.
For most people the freeze is the right default. It is stronger than an alert and, unlike a lock, your rights are protected by law rather than by terms of service you did not read. Use a fraud alert in addition if you have already been a victim and want lenders calling you before opening anything.
When things go wrong
Identity verification failing online is the most common snag, and it usually happens to people with thin credit files or a recent move. The fix is to call the bureau directly or mail copies of your ID and a utility bill. Lost account credentials are the second most common problem; each bureau has a recovery flow that re-verifies your identity. And if a lender tells you an application failed because of a freeze, lift it at that bureau and ask them to resubmit rather than starting a new application, which would add a second hard inquiry.
One more scenario worth planning for: applying for a mortgage or auto loan usually means all three bureaus get pulled, sometimes by multiple lenders while you rate-shop. Lift all three for the shopping window rather than trying to guess which bureau each lender uses.
Sources
Last updated: August 15, 2026. Written by the InfoBrief Editorial team. We link to official government and company sources and update articles when facts change. See our disclosure.